Abingdon resident and fully-fledged fat man, Gav Thompson, is leading a team of 17 walkers on a 52 mile charity walk to raise funds for the Jennifer Trust(1) and the Naomi Children’s Hospice(2). The “Fat Men Walking” team will walk the 52 miles down The Thames Path and back up the Kennet Canal over 3 days. The team sets off from Abingdon Bridge at 7.30am on Thursday 7 February.

Gav decided on the walk after Georgia, the 5 month old daughter of great friends of his, was diagnosed with the terminal disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA). After a brave 3 month fight against this terrible condition, Georgia died on January 6th this year. There is little awareness of SMA, despite its being the largest genetic killer of babies and toddlers in the UK.

The rotund Thompson has teamed up with his similarly generously proportioned friend, Matt Whitticase. The two have hauled themselves from the couch and have been training furiously since October.

“We weren’t sure how far we should walk, so we both got on the bathroom scales only to find that our combined weight was off the scale!”, Thompson admitted.

You can read more about Gav’s quest here and here .. and donate money here.